My Office This Week

If I’m giving a talk about books & writing and I mention that I also teach and have a family, the adults in the audience always ask the same question. "When do you write?"

If you’re a writer with a family or a day job or both, you already know the answer. "Whenever I can."

It’s interesting to me, though, how I’ve changed as a writer over the past year or so. I used to think that I had to have at least two hours of uninterrupted time — either at my desk at home at night or at the library in my secret corner — when NO ONE would even say a word to me. Otherwise, I couldn’t get deep enough into "the zone" and it wasn’t even worth starting.

The new me thinks that old me was…well…maybe just a bit of a writing prima donna. For whatever reasons — revision deadlines, writing challenges made to myself — I’ve been learning to do things differently. I’ve figured out that I can write for ten or fifteen minutes. I actually can be interrupted and survive, and I can write in places that aren’t peaceful and quiet. Which brings me to this…

My evening office for the week.

My daughter is in a figure skating show on Saturday, with four-hour rehearsals scheduled every night until then. If you’re looking for me, I’ll be the one in the bleachers, tapping my foot to the "Grease" soundtrack and my fingers on the keyboard.

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12 Replies on “My Office This Week”

My friend has asked me that question before. I said exactly that. “Just whenever I can.”

I haven’t been to the feild house in forever. Maybe I’ll show up uninvited someday. Nah, I live to far away from it.
Last time I went I was watching a hocky game and a hocky puck got chucked into the air and almost hit me in the face. I ducked so I really dodged a bullet that day! This was just last month!

Here’s a little fun fact, that cup holder on the left to the computer(of the one next to it) can be pulled out easily. It just came out for some reason when I put my hand in it.

I work all day in my office, every day. I’m looking for places where I *don’t* have to write! Though to be honest, I have a notebook with me and take notes in my car. I’ve just figured out you are the person who left that wonderful Amazon review for my book Seeing Sky-Blue Pink. I treasure your comments over the journal reviews–that book mean more to me than any other.

Just wrapped up a presentation for Eastern Kentucky University Summer institute & we talked about the importance of curiosity & empathy in fighting racism & other kinds of bigotry. Here are some resources I shared, for attendees & others who are interested. @EmilyZuccaro (thread)

Words matter. And I appreciate this piece from @Poynter Institute on active vs passive voice. This is also important to think about when we're writing about history & talking about people who "were enslaved" instead of saying who actively enslaved them. https://t.co/iK22kRiC7j

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